Angel Costumes

Fancy dress has become the new fashion hit of the year! At parties, clubs, festivals, gigs and even weddings, wacky outfits are the order of the day, with fancy dress sales bucking the economic slowdown and retailers reporting sales up by more than a third so far this year. Celebrities have led the way, with Heidi Klum, husband Seal and guests in a "white trash" themed wedding vow renewal ceremony and Lily Allen dressed as Queen Victoria for her recent gig, with her fans wearing costumes depicting London underground stations (for example, several turned up in angel fancy dress, to represent Angel tube station).

Even fashion icon Paris Hilton, photographed in a fetching Alice in Wonderland costume, has decided it is "cool" to be seen in fancy dress. So, will we see Victoria Beckham dressed in a cute angel fancy dress costume, with matching Gucci wings and tiara? Well, that remains to be seen!

Fun runs are not the only events where participants have worn angel fancy dress. At public events such as music gigs, it has become fashionable to turn up dressed in all kinds of weird and wonderful costumes. One example is a certain famous female singer's recent free gig in Notting Hill, for which the 400 audience members were asked to turn up in fancy dress depicting a London tube station. Hence many of the invited guests turned up in angel fancy dress, to represent Angel tube station in Islington, North London.

Others were dressed as birds (Canary Wharf), Sherlock Holmes (Baker Street) and one couple even covered themselves in grass and green paint (presumably depicting Green Park). The star performer of the show was dressed as Queen Victoria (representing Victoria Station), complete with a grey wig and crown, frilled blouse and long Victorian skirt and corset. It was reported that the singer complained, with one or two expletives, that it was difficult to sing in a corset, but would Her Majesty have been amused?

Fancy dress is even becoming popular as wedding attire, and not only for the bride and groom. The theme could be "superheroes", film characters or pop stars for example. At a recent ceremony held by a celebrity couple to renew their wedding vows, guests were asked to turn up as saints or sinners. Apparently the female guests sparkled in angel fancy dress costumes, complete with tiaras, wings and wands. It was not reported what the men wore!